Rank Insignia Comparative Ranks USN Rank Insignia Officers (1941-1943) Enlisted (1941-1943) IJN Rank Insignia Officers (1931-1945) Enlisted (1931-1942) Enlisted (1942-1945)
IJN Petty Officers and Seamen Rank Insignia 1931-1942
一等兵曹 - Petty Officer 1st Class, 二等兵曹 - Petty Officer 2nd Class, 三等兵曹 - Petty Officer 3rd Class, 一等水兵 - Seaman 1st Class, 二等水兵 - Seaman 2nd Class, 三等水兵 - Seaman 3rd Class
Petty Officers
1st Class
Petty Officers
2nd Class
Petty Officers
3rd Class
Seamen
1st Class
Seamen
2nd Class
Seamen
3rd Class
Seaman Branch
一等兵曹 - Petty Officer 1st Class 二等兵曹 - Petty Officer 2nd Class 三等兵曹 - Petty Officer 3rd Class 一等水兵 - Seaman 1st Class 二等水兵 - Seaman 2nd Class 三等水兵 - Seaman 3rd Class
一等兵曹
[ittō heisō]
二等兵曹
[nitō heisō]
三等兵曹
[santō heisō]
一等水兵
[ittō suihei]
二等水兵
[nitō suihei]
三等水兵
[santō suihei]
Aviation Branch
一等空兵曹 - Aviation Petty Officer 1st Class 二等空兵曹 - Aviation Petty Officer 2nd Class 三等空兵曹 - Aviation Petty Officer 3rd Class 一等空兵 - Aviation Seaman 1st Class 二等空兵 - Aviation Seaman 2nd Class 三等空兵 - Aviation Seaman 3rd Class
一等航空兵曹
[ittō kōkū heisō]
二等航空兵曹
[nitō kōkū heisō]
三等航空兵曹
[santō kōkū heisō]
一等航空兵
[ittō kōkū hei]
二等航空兵
[nitō kōkū hei]
三等航空兵
[santō kōkū hei]
Aviation Maintenance Branch
一等整備兵曹 - Aviation Maintenance Petty Officer 1st Class 二等整備兵曹 - Aviation Maintenance Petty Officer 2nd Class 三等整備兵曹 - Aviation Maintenance Petty Officer 3rd Class 一等整備兵 - Aviation Maintenance Seaman 1st Class 二等整備兵 - Aviation Maintenance Seaman 2nd Class 三等整備兵 - Aviation Maintenance Seaman 3rd Class
一等整備兵曹
[ittō seibi heisō]
二等整備兵曹
[nitō seibi heisō]
三等整備兵曹
[santō seibi heisō]
一等整備兵
[ittō seibi hei]
二等整備兵
[nitō seibi hei]
三等整備兵
[santō seibi hei]
Engineering Branch
一等機関兵曹 - Engineering Petty Officer 1st Class 二等機関兵曹 - Engineering Petty Officer 2nd Class 三等機関兵曹 - Engineering Petty Officer 3rd Class 一等機関兵 - Engineering Seaman 1st Class 二等機関兵 - Engineering Seaman 2nd Class 三等機関兵 - Engineering Seaman 3rd Class
一等機関兵曹
[ittō kikan heisō]
二等機関兵曹
[nitō kikan heisō]
三等機関兵曹
[santō kikan heisō]
一等機関兵
[ittō kikan hei]
二等機関兵
[nitō kikan hei]
三等機関兵
[santō kikan hei]
Construction and Repair Branch
一等工作兵曹 - Construction & Repair Petty Officer 1st Class 二等工作兵曹 - Construction & Repair Petty Officer 2nd Class 三等工作兵曹 - Construction & Repair Petty Officer 3rd Class 一等工作兵 - Construction & Repair Seaman 1st Class 二等工作兵 - Construction & Repair Seaman 2nd Class 三等工作兵 - Construction & Repair Seaman 3rd Class
一等工作兵曹
[ittō kōsaku heisō]
二等工作兵曹
[nitō kōsaku heisō]
三等工作兵曹
[santō kōsaku heisō]
一等工作兵
[ittō kōsaku hei]
二等工作兵
[nitō kōsaku hei]
三等工作兵
[santō kōsaku hei]
Medical/Nursing Branch
一等衛生兵曹 - Nursing Petty Officer 1st Class 二等衛生兵曹 - Nursing Petty Officer 2nd Class 三等衛生兵曹 - Nursing Petty Officer 3rd Class 一等衛生兵 - Nursing Seaman 1st Class 二等衛生兵 - Nursing Seaman 2nd Class 三等衛生兵 - Nursing Seaman 3rd Class
一等衛生兵曹
[ittō eisei heisō]
二等衛生兵曹
[nitō eisei heisō]
三等衛生兵曹
[santō eisei heisō]
一等衛生兵
[ittō eisei hei]
二等衛生兵
[nitō eisei hei]
三等衛生兵
[santō eisei hei]
Paymaster Branch
一等主計兵曹 - Paymaster Petty Officer 1st Class 二等主計兵曹 - Paymaster Petty Officer 2nd Class 三等主計兵曹 - Paymaster Petty Officer 3rd Class 一等主計兵 - Paymaster Seaman 1st Class 二等主計兵 - Paymaster Seaman 2nd Class 三等主計兵 - Paymaster Seaman 3rd Class
一等主計兵曹
[ittō shukei heisō]
二等主計兵曹
[nitō shukei heisō]
三等主計兵曹
[santō shukei heisō]
一等主計兵
[ittō shukei hei]
二等主計兵
[nitō shukei hei]
三等主計兵
[santō shukei hei]
Musical Branch
一等軍楽兵曹 - Bandsman Petty Officer 1st Class 二等軍楽兵曹 - Bandsman Petty Officer 2nd Class 三等軍楽兵曹 - Bandsman Petty Officer 3rd Class 一等軍楽兵 - Bandsman Seaman 1st Class 二等軍楽兵 - Bandsman Seaman 2nd Class 三等軍楽兵 - Bandsman Seaman 3rd Class
一等軍楽兵曹
[ittō gungaku heisō]
二等軍楽兵曹
[nitō gungaku heisō]
三等軍楽兵曹
[santō gungaku heisō]
一等軍楽兵
[ittō gungaku hei]
二等軍楽兵
[nitō gungaku hei]
三等軍楽兵
[santō gungaku hei]
Good Conduct Chevrons
善行章 - Good Conduct Chevron 特別善行章 - Excellent Conduct Chevron 善行章二線 - Good Conduct Double Chevron 善行章三線 - Good Conduct Triple Chevron 善行章四線 - Good Conduct Quadruple Chevron 善行章五線 - Good Conduct Quintuple Chevron
善行章
[zenkō shō]
Good Conduct
特別善行章
[tokubetsu zenkō shō]
Excellent Conduct
善行章二線
[zenkō shō nisen]
Double Chevron
善行章三線
[zenkō shō sansen]
Triple Chevron
善行章四線
[zenkō shō yonsen]
Quadruple Chevron
善行章五線
[zenkō shō gosen]
Quintuple Chevron
Versions for Different Types of Uniform
For summer white For winter blue For field khaki
 
  IJN Petty Officers and Seamen Training Insignia 1931-1942
航空 [kōkū] – Aviation   [] – Gunnery
Flying Training Navigator/Observer Special Training Regular Training Advanced Training Extra Training
運用 [unyō] – Seamanship   水雷 [suirai] – Torpedoes   機雷 [kirai] – Mines
Regular Training Advanced Training Regular Training Advanced Training Regular Training Advanced Training
測的 [sokuteki] – Fire Control   航空兵器 [kōkū heiki] – Aviation Ordnance   航空工 [kōkū kō] – Aviation Engineering
Regular Training Advanced Training Regular Training Advanced Training Regular Training Advanced Training
機関 [kikan] – Engineering   電機 [denki] – Electrical Engineering   信号 [shingō] – Visual Signals
Regular Training Advanced Training Regular Training Advanced Training Regular Training Advanced Training
電信 [denshin] – Telegraphy   看護 [kango] – Nursing   衣糧 [iryō] – Supply
Regular Training Advanced Training Regular Training Advanced Training Regular Training Advanced Training
工作 [kōsaku] – Construction and Repair   経理 [keiri] – Accounting   軍楽 [gungaku] - Music.
Regular Training Advanced Training Extra Training Regular Training Advanced Training Extra Training
Special Insignia   Versions for Different Types of Uniform
Fighter Pilot Bomber Pilot Nurse For summer white For winter blue For field khaki

Sources:

  1. Gary Nila, “Japanese Naval Aviation: Uniforms & Equipment 1937-1945”, 2002
  2. 日本海軍軍装図鑑: 幕末・明治, Etsuka Yagyu “Uniforms of Japanese Navy 1867-1945”, 2003
  3. Gary Nila, Robert A. Rolfe “Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces: Uniforms & Equipment 1932-1945”, 2006
  4. 大日本帝国陸海軍―軍装と装備 明治・大正・昭和, Tadao Nakata “Imperial Japanese Army and Navy Uniforms & Equipment”, 2009